Motion detection apparatus and method

ABSTRACT

According to various illustrative embodiments, a motion-monitoring system comprises at least one antenna fixed within a barrier, the at least one antenna transmitting at least one first radio-frequency signal through the barrier to at least one volume outside the barrier, the at least one first radio-frequency signal reflecting from at least one object in the at least one volume to produce a plurality of second radio-frequency signals, which are received by the at least one antenna, at least one sensing circuit sensing the plurality of second radio-frequency signals and generating a plurality of time-domain output signals, and at least one processor receiving the plurality of time-domain output signals and comparing at least one successive time-domain output signal to at least one previous time-domain output signal to estimate at least one characteristic of the at least one object, including a motion of the at least one object.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/408,461, filed on Apr. 21, 2006, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,342,493, whichalso claims priority from, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.60/673,916, filed on Apr. 22, 2005, the entire contents of which arehereby incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure relates generally to devices, systems, andmethods for security systems. More particularly, the present disclosuredescribes a device, a system, and a method for using implantable sensorsto detect moving objects in an area.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A multitude of instances exist wherein it is desirable to implement amonitoring system for a given area. Such an area may be of any size andmay include structures, facilities supporting the structures,infrastructures, grounds within a defined perimeter, outer perimetergrounds and structures, roadways, and the like. In many cases, it isdesirable to monitor motion.

The typical motion sensor is a rather simple line-of-sight (LOS) sensorthat may emit a signal or light beam. When motion in the monitored areareaches a predetermined threshold, the sensor provides an output to amonitor that may, in turn, set off an alarm or summon assistance. Othermotion sensors operate on pressure. Some use a perturbation of airpressure as the sensed characteristic, while others use contact pressureas in floor sensors. These typical sensors suffer from severaldrawbacks. Line-of-sight (LOS) sensors are limited by objectsobstructing the line-of-sight (LOS). Furthermore, these sensors are, bynecessity, visible within the monitored area and can be defeated. Airpressure sensors are limited by obstructions and may not detect veryslight or slow movements. Implanted pressure sensors are limited by asmall sensitivity area on which contact must be made and cannot detectgeneral movement in the monitored area. All such sensors suffer from theinability to detect other characteristics of a moving object such asdistance to the motion and velocity of the motion.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

There is a need for non-line-of-sight motion detectors that candistinguish multiple characteristics of a moving target within amonitored area.

The present disclosure addresses some or all of the drawbacks discussedabove by providing an implantable motion detector for detecting movingobjects and distinguishing parameters of the object.

In accordance with the present disclosure, a device, a system, and amethod for using implantable sensors to detect moving objects in an areaare disclosed. In one aspect, a motion-monitoring apparatus at least oneantenna fixed within a barrier, the at least one antenna transmitting atleast one first radio-frequency signal through the barrier to at leastone volume outside the barrier, the at least one first radio-frequencysignal reflecting from at least one object in the at least one volume toproduce a plurality of second radio-frequency signals, the plurality ofsecond radio-frequency signals being received by the at least oneantenna. The motion-monitoring apparatus also comprises at least onesensing circuit sensing the plurality of second radio-frequency signals,the at least one sensing circuit generating a plurality of time-domainoutput signals. The motion-monitoring apparatus also comprises at leastone processor receiving the plurality of time-domain output signals, theat least one processor comparing at least one successive time-domainoutput signal to at least one previous time-domain output signal toestimate at least one characteristic of the at least one object, the atleast one characteristic including a motion of the at least one object.The motion-monitoring apparatus also comprises at least one monitordevice remotely disposed from the at least one antenna, the at least onemonitor device monitoring the at least one characteristic.

In various aspects, the motion-monitoring apparatus may further comprisehaving the at least one sensing circuit include at least oneultra-wideband sensing circuit. In these various aspects, themotion-monitoring apparatus may further comprise having the plurality oftime-domain output signals generated using a sample-down process. Invarious aspects, the motion-monitoring apparatus may further comprisehaving the at least one antenna comprise a single antenna, themotion-monitoring apparatus further comprising at least one controllableswitch switching the single antenna between a transmitting mode and areceiving mode. In various aspects, the motion-monitoring apparatus mayfurther comprise having the at least one antenna include a first antennaand a second antenna, the first antenna operating in a transmittingmode, the second antenna operating in a receiving mode. In variousaspects, the motion-monitoring apparatus may further comprise having theat least one sensing circuit collocated with the at least one antennawithin the barrier. In various aspects, the motion-monitoring apparatusmay further comprise having the barrier comprise at least one buildingmember. In these various aspects, the motion-monitoring apparatus mayfurther comprise having the at least one building member comprise atleast one of a wall, a floor, and a roof. In various aspects, themotion-monitoring apparatus may further comprise having the barriercomprise at least one in-ground barrier. In these various aspects, themotion-monitoring apparatus may further comprise having the at least onein-ground barrier include at least one of a natural earth groundmaterial, asphalt, concrete, wood, water, drywall, and brick.

In various aspects, the motion-monitoring apparatus may further comprisehaving the at least one characteristic comprise a plurality ofcharacteristics, the plurality of characteristics further including atleast one of a size of the at least one object, a type of the at leastone object, a speed of the at least one object, a location of the atleast one object, and a direction of movement of the at least oneobject. In various aspects, the motion-monitoring apparatus may furthercomprise at least one visual display device providing at least onevisual output representative of the at least one characteristic. Invarious aspects, the motion-monitoring apparatus may further comprisehaving the at least one sensing circuit include at least oneultra-wideband sensing circuit and having at least one visual displaydevice providing at least one visual output representative of the atleast one characteristic. In various aspects, the motion-monitoringapparatus may further comprise having the at least one antenna compriseat least three antenna sets, each of the at least three antenna setsspaced apart from others of the at least three antenna sets, the atleast one first radio-frequency signal comprises a plurality of firstradio-frequency signals, and each of the at least three antenna setstransmitting a respective one of the plurality of first radio-frequencysignals into the at least one volume and receiving a respective one ofthe plurality of second radio-frequency signals to provide at least onetriangulation for estimating the at least one characteristic.

In another aspect, a motion-monitoring system comprises at least onesensor set including at least one antenna fixed within a barrier, the atleast one antenna transmitting at least one first radio-frequency signalthrough the barrier to at least one volume outside the barrier, the atleast one first radio-frequency signal reflecting from at least oneobject in the at least one volume to produce a plurality of secondradio-frequency signals, the plurality of second radio-frequency signalsbeing received by the at least one antenna, the at least one sensor setincluding at least one sensing circuit sensing the plurality of secondradio-frequency signals, the at least one sensing circuit generating aplurality of time-domain output signals. The motion-monitoring systemalso comprises at least one processor receiving the plurality oftime-domain output signals, the at least one processor comparing atleast one successive time-domain output signal to at least one previoustime-domain output signal to at least one of estimate at least onecharacteristic of the at least one object and distinguish at least onecharacteristic of the at least one object, the at least onecharacteristic including a motion of the at least one object. Themotion-monitoring system also comprises at least one monitoring stationremotely disposed from the at least one sensor set, the at least onemonitor station monitoring the at least one characteristic. Themotion-monitoring system also comprises at least one visual displaydevice providing at least one visual output representative of the atleast one characteristic.

In various aspects, the motion-monitoring system may further comprisehaving the at least one volume is a plurality of volumes separated fromeach other, the at least one sensor set comprises a plurality of sensorsets, the at least one first radio-frequency signal comprises aplurality of first radio-frequency signals, the at least one sensingcircuit comprises a plurality of sensing circuits, each of the pluralityof volumes including a respective one of the plurality of sensor sets,the respective at least one antenna fixed within the respective barriertransmitting the respective one of the plurality of firstradio-frequency signals and receiving the respective one of theplurality of second radio-frequency signals, and the respective one ofthe plurality of sensing circuits generating a plurality of time-domainoutput signals related to the respective one of the plurality ofvolumes, the motion-monitoring system further comprising a plurality ofcommunication links, each of the plurality of communication linksassociated with the respective one of the plurality of sensing circuitsfor transmitting the respective plurality of time-domain output signals,a hub receiving each of the respective plurality of time-domain outputsignals, and a central communication link transmitting the respectiveplurality of time-domain output signals from the hub to the monitoringstation. In various aspects, the motion-monitoring system may furthercomprise having the barrier comprise at least one roadway, the at leastone object comprises a plurality of objects, and the at least onemonitored characteristic comprises at least one traffic pattern. Inthese various aspects, the motion-monitoring system may further comprisehaving the plurality of objects include at least one of a plurality ofvehicles and a plurality of pedestrians.

In yet another aspect, a method of motion-monitoring comprisestransmitting at least one first radio-frequency signal through a barrierto at least one volume outside the barrier using at least one antennafixed within the barrier, the at least one first radio-frequency signalreflecting from at least one object in the at least one volume toproduce a plurality of second radio-frequency signals. The method ofmotion-monitoring also comprises receiving the plurality of secondradio-frequency signals with the at least one antenna. The method ofmotion-monitoring also comprises generating a plurality of time-domainoutput signals using at least one sensing circuit sensing the pluralityof second radio-frequency signals. The method of motion-monitoring alsocomprises comparing at least one successive time-domain output signal toat least one previous time-domain output signal to estimate at least onecharacteristic of the at least one object using at least one processorreceiving the plurality of time-domain output signals, the at least onecharacteristic including a motion of the at least one object. The methodof motion-monitoring also comprises monitoring the at least onecharacteristic using at least one monitor device remotely disposed fromthe at least one antenna. In various aspects, the method ofmotion-monitoring may further comprise having the at least one antennacomprise at least three antenna sets, each of the at least three antennasets spaced apart from others of the at least three antenna sets, the atleast one first radio-frequency signal comprises a plurality of firstradio-frequency signals, the method of motion-monitoring furthercomprising transmitting a respective one of the plurality of firstradio-frequency signals into the at least one volume, and receiving arespective one of the plurality of second radio-frequency signals usinga respective one of the at least three antenna sets to provide at leastone triangulation for estimating the at least one characteristic.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following figures form part of the present specification and areincluded to further demonstrate certain aspects of the present claimedsubject matter, and should not be used to limit or define the presentclaimed subject matter. The present claimed subject matter may be betterunderstood by reference to one or more of these drawings in combinationwith the description of embodiments presented herein. Consequently, amore complete understanding of the present embodiments and furtherfeatures and advantages thereof may be acquired by referring to thefollowing description taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, in which the leftmost significant digit(s) in the referencenumerals denote(s) the first figure in which the respective referencenumerals appear, wherein:

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an elevation view of a structure havinga motion-monitoring motion detector system as in various illustrativeembodiments, according to the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a motion-monitoring motion detectorimplanted within a material as in various illustrative embodiments,according to the present disclosure;

FIGS. 3A and 3B schematically illustrate and depict exemplary monitoroutputs from various illustrative embodiments, according to the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 4 schematically illustrates a networked motion-monitoring motiondetector system as in various illustrative embodiments, according to thepresent disclosure;

FIG. 5 schematically illustrates a flow chart depicting variousillustrative embodiments of a method of motion-monitoring, according tothe present disclosure; and

FIG. 6 schematically illustrates a traffic-monitoring apparatus as invarious illustrative embodiments, according to the present disclosure.

It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate onlytypical embodiments of the present claimed subject matter and are,therefore, not to be considered limiting of the scope of the presentclaimed subject matter, as the present claimed subject matter may admitto other equally effective embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

Illustrative embodiments of the present claimed subject matter aredescribed in detail below. In the interest of clarity, not all featuresof an actual implementation are described in this specification. It willof course be appreciated that in the development of any such actualembodiment, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made toachieve the developers' specific goals, such as compliance withsystem-related and business-related constraints, which will vary fromone implementation to another. Moreover, it will be appreciated thatsuch a development effort might be complex and time-consuming, but wouldnevertheless be a routine undertaking for those of ordinary skill in theart having the benefit of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an elevation view of a structure 104having an implantable motion-monitoring motion detector system 100 as invarious illustrative embodiments, according to the present disclosure.The motion-monitoring system 100 may include one or more detectors 102a, 102 b, 102 c, 102 d, a command, control, and monitoring station 108remotely located from the detectors 102 a, 102 b, 102 c, 102 d, and acommunication link 110 communicating information between one or moresensor sets, such as the detectors 102 a, 102 b, 102 c, 102 d, and themonitoring station 108. As shown in FIG. 1, the detectors 102 a, 102 b,102 c, 102 d, may be implanted and/or buried within a barrier such asthe ground, floors, walls, and/or roof of the structure 104. Thecommunication link 110 may be wireless, as shown in FIG. 1, for example,using an antenna 112 to transmit signals from the structure 104 to theremotely-located command, control, and station 108.

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a motion-monitoring motion detector 210implanted and/or buried within a material barrier 200 as in variousillustrative embodiments, according to the present disclosure. Referringto FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, each of the detectors 102 a, 102 b, 102 c, 102 d,may comprise the motion detector 210 that includes a plurality ofantennas 202 a, 202 b. The antennas 202 a, 202 b may be are buried inthe barrier 200 to avoid aesthetic drawbacks of visual sensors and/or tohide the antennas 202 a, 202 b from view. The barrier 200 may be anysuitable type of barrier, such as the ground, floors, walls, and/or roofof the structure 104. As shown in FIG. 2, for example, the barrier 200is a building member. As used herein, the term “building member” mayinclude any member used to construct a man-made structure, such as thestructure 104. The building member may be a floor, wall, ceiling, roof,staircase, facade and/or any other structural and/or non-structuralcomponent of a structure, such as the structure 104.

The antennas 202 a, 202 b may include one or more transmitting antennas202 a′, 202 b′ to transmit a radio-frequency (RF) signal into at leastone volume 208 that is to be monitored and one or more receivingantennas 202 a″, 202 b″ to receive the returning radio-frequency (RF)signals from the volume 208. The transmitted radio-frequency (RF) signalmay reflect from one or more objects within the volume 208 and return assecondary radio-frequency (RF) signals (“echoes”) to be received by oneor more of the receiving antennas 202 a″, 202 b″. In variousillustrative embodiments, the transmitting and receiving antennas 202 a,202 b may be implemented as single antennas being electronicallyswitched from a transmitting mode to a receiving mode, for example. Invarious alternative illustrative embodiments the transmitting andreceiving antennas 202 a, 202 b may be implemented by separatetransmitting antennas 202 a′, 202 b′ and receiving antennas 202 a″, 202b″. An electrical sensing circuit 204 a, 204 b may be coupled to therespective antennas 202 a, 202 b to operate as a timing and controldevice for transmitting and receiving. Data and/or power may becommunicated to and/or from the sensing circuit 204 a, 204 b andantennas 202 a, 202 b via a link 206, which may comprise one or morewire conductors, fiber optics, and/or electromagnetic linking. The link206 may provide communication to and/or from the buried detectors 102 a,102 b, 102 c, 102 d from and/or to the communications link 110, forexample.

In various illustrative embodiments, the detectors 102 a, 102 b, 102 c,102 d may include one or more ultra-wideband sensing circuits (UWBdetectors). One such detector is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,518,915 toSchutz et al. for “Impulse Radar Security System,” the entire contentsof which are incorporated by reference herein. An ultra-wideband (UWB)signal is commonly used in ground-penetrating radar systems to obtainmeasurements of subsurface stationary structures and/or provide imagesof the internal structure of opaque materials such as soil, rock,concrete, asphalt, and/or wood. Ultra-wideband (UWB) signals aregenerally defined as signals whose bandwidth is at least 25% of thenominal center frequency. With ground-penetrating radar, very shortbursts of radio-frequency (RF) energy are emitted into the ground andechoes from buried targets are received in return. Ultra-wideband (UWB)technology may detect targets underground and, as described herein,through walls and/or floors and the like of structures such as thestructure 104, for example.

The radio-frequency (RF) energy used in the motion-monitoring system 100may take several forms. In various illustrative embodiments,radio-frequency (RF) energy in the form of an impulse may be employed,for example. The impulse may last from about 0.1 nanoseconds to about 10nanoseconds, for example. The actual waveform may be one or two cyclesor so of a damped sinusoid, for example. The motion-monitoring system100 may operate in the time domain. Time-domain signals and/or echoesmay typically travel about 1 nanosecond per foot in air (for one-waytravel) and time-domain signals returning to the antennas 202 a, 202 bafter striking a target may arrive at different times depending on thetarget's distance from the transmitting antennas 202 a′, 202 b′, forexample. Consequently, the distance of an object causing a reflectedecho may be estimated and/or distinguished and/or determined by theparticular delay in the echo return. For example, an object at adistance of about 10 feet may return an echo in about 20 nanoseconds,while an object about 20 feet away may return an echo in about 40nanoseconds.

An ultra-wideband (UWB) signal may provide an improvedresolution/penetration tradeoff. Lower frequency signals, approximately100 MHz to about 500 MHz, for example, may penetrate farther, especiallywhen they are transmitted into the ground or a wall of a structure suchas the structure 104, for example. However, resolution may deterioratewith the use of lower frequency signals. Since resolution may be afunction of the total length of a radio-frequency (RF) burst, havingfewer numbers of cycles of a waveform may minimize this resolutiondeterioration. For example, having one or two or so cycles in an impulsemay result in a better resolution for a particular selected frequency,with the result that a preferred radio-frequency (RF) signal may have anultra-wideband (UWB) bandwidth.

In various illustrative embodiments, at least one return radio-frequency(RF) signal, the echo, for example, received by the receiving antennas202 a″, 202 b″ may be applied to a very high-speed sample-hold circuitwithin the sensing circuit 204 a, 204 b. The sample-hold circuit mayoutput at least one sampled or low-frequency signal to a control unit,such as a computer 408, as shown in FIG. 4, for example. The sampled orlow-frequency signal is proportional to the return radio-frequency (RF)signal at a sequence of points in its waveform. Subsequent samples maybe taken at different points in subsequent waveforms of the secondaryreturn radio-frequency (RF) signal. This process is called down-samplingor a sample-down process. The result may be the creation of a duplicateradio-frequency (RF) signal at a significantly lower frequency,typically within the audio-frequency spectrum, than the frequency ofeither the first or primary radio-frequency (RF) signal, transmitted bythe transmitting antennas 202 a′, 202 b′, or the second or secondaryradio-frequency (RF) signal, received by the receiving antennas 202 a″,202 b″, for example. This audio-frequency waveform or down-sampledsignal may provide for more efficient processing of the signal by thecontrol unit, such as the computer 408.

FIGS. 3A and 3B schematically illustrate and depict exemplary monitoroutputs from various illustrative embodiments, according to the presentdisclosure. FIGS. 3A and 3B are experienced-based visual output samplesaccording to the present disclosure. FIG. 3A shows an actual output 300from a motion-monitoring sensor system 100 as in various illustrativeembodiments, according to the present disclosure. The output 300represents a vehicle traveling first at about 5 miles per hour (mph), asshown at 302, and then at about 20 miles per hour (mph), as shown at304. Note that the width of the return is dense in both cases 302, and304. This dense return may be indicative and/or characteristic of ametal vehicle, for example. Furthermore, the characteristic of the sizeof the vehicle may be estimated, distinguished, and/or determined usingthe estimated speed and the size of the return, for example. The vehicleused in the example as shown in FIG. 3A was be an automobile, forexample.

FIG. 3B shows an actual output 310 of a motion-monitoring sensor system100 as in various illustrative embodiments, according to the presentdisclosure. The output 310 represents an output return obtained using ahuman subject walking toward a motion-monitoring sensor system 100 as invarious illustrative embodiments, according to the present disclosure,as shown at 312, walking away from the motion-monitoring sensor system100, as shown at 314, and then running away from the motion-monitoringsensor system 100, as shown at 316. In each case 312, 314, and 316, themotion-monitoring sensor system 100 was buried in the ground under anasphalt roadway. Similar results would be seen if the motion-monitoringsensor system 100 were to be buried in dirt, in concrete, and/or undersome other barrier material. A “barrier” as used herein means a materialand/or structure penetrable by radio-frequency (RF) signals. The term asused herein may include opaque materials, soil, rock, concrete, asphalt,and/or wood. It is further intended that the term “barrier” may includestructures partially penetrable by radio-frequency (RF) signals. Forexample, a building wall having a metal framework may be partiallypenetrable by radio-frequency (RF) signals. An implantedmotion-monitoring sensor system 100 as in various illustrativeembodiments, according to the present disclosure, may operatesatisfactorily through the portion of the material that is not metallic.

FIG. 4 schematically illustrates a networked motion-monitoring motiondetector system 400 as in various illustrative embodiments, according tothe present disclosure. Shown is the networked motion-monitoring motiondetector system 400 that may include one or more sensor sets 416 a, 416b, 416 c, each sensor set 416 a, 416 b, 416 c used to sense motion in arespective area 402 a, 402 b, 402 c. Each sensor set 416 a, 416 b, 416 cmay include one or more implanted motion-monitoring motion sensorsand/or motion detectors 102 a, 102 b, 102 c, 102 d, 210, substantiallyas described above and shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, for example.

The central control and monitoring station 408, which may be thecomputer 408, as shown in FIG. 4, for example, may be in a remotelocation with respect to the areas 402 a, 402 b, 402 c. One example maybe the security control center 408 where the areas 402 a, 402 b, 402 care multiple rooms of a facility. A hub or router 404 may controlinformation flow from each area 402 a, 402 b, 402 c via area links 406a, 406 b, 406 c. Communication between the control and monitoringstation 408 and the sensor sets 416 a, 416 b, 416 c may be accomplished,for example, with one or more communication links 412, 414, between thehub 404 and a separate communication system 410, and between theseparate communication system 410, and the control and monitoringstation 408, respectively. The separate communication system 410 may beimplemented to separate the communication from the monitored areanetwork 400 and other communications for the facility, for example.

The signals from each sensor and/or each sensor set sent into the volumemay form spatially overlapping signals such that each return signal to arespective sensing circuit may be processed and/or compared to signalsreturning to other sensors and/or each sensor sets. In this manner,using at least three sensor sets may provide one or more triangulationson a moving target, which triangulation may enable a process forestimating, distinguishing, and/or determining location and/or directionof movement. Sensors located in a plane may provide planartriangulation, for example. Absolute elevation may be estimated,distinguished, and/or determined by processing the return signals alongwith known orientation of the sensors within the barrier and knowndistances between the sensors, for example. Actual elevation of thetarget may be estimated, distinguished, and/or determined using a fourthsensor set located out of plane with respect to the other co-planarsensors, for example. Where the plane of motion is fixed, such as floorsof buildings and/or roads and/or roadways, only three sensors may berequired to have three-dimensional (3D) motion tracking. The planeformed by the three sensors intersect the physical plane (floor, road,roadway, and the like) at an acute angle, for example.

FIG. 5 schematically illustrates a flow chart depicting variousillustrative embodiments of a method 500 of motion-monitoring, accordingto the present disclosure. The method 500 may include irradiating 502 anarea with radio-frequency (RF) signals using one or more antennasimplanted in a barrier. Reflected radio-frequency (RF) signals may bereceived 504 by one or more antennas implanted within the barrier.Reflected signals representing one or more stationary objects may befiltered out 506 to leave signals representing one or more movingobjects. Motion signals may be transmitted 508 to one or moreprocessors. The signals may be processed 510 to estimate, distinguish,and/or determine one or more characteristics of the one or more objects.Optionally, the removal 506 of stationary object signals may beperformed in the processing 510. Optionally, the one or morecharacteristics may be compared 512 to one or more norms, and the one ormore object characteristics may be monitored and/or transmitted forvisual output and/or display and/or annunciation 514.

In several of the various illustrative embodiments, processing may beused to estimate, distinguish, and/or determine several characteristicsof the one or more objects. The characteristics may include object size,type, direction of movement, location within the monitored area,velocity, and/or speed, and the like. Suitable devices that may be usedfor monitoring according to various illustrative embodiments of themethod 500 may be substantially as described above and/or as shown inFIG. 1, FIG. 2, and/or FIG. 4, for example.

FIG. 6 schematically illustrates a traffic-monitoring apparatus as invarious illustrative embodiments, according to the present disclosure.FIG. 6 shows an exemplary application of the method 500 ofmotion-monitoring and/or the motion-monitoring system and/or apparatus100 and/or the motion-monitoring system 400, according to variousillustrative embodiments. Shown is a traffic-monitoring system 600. Thetraffic-monitoring system 600 may include several sensors 602, which maybe ultra-wideband (UWB) sensors substantially as described and shownabove. Each sensor 602 may be buried in a strategic location in andaround a roadway 612. The roadway 612 is shown as an intersection andmay be an in-ground barrier, for example. FIG. 1 also shows a sensor,the detector 102 d, fixed within an in-ground barrier, for example, asidewalk. As used herein, the term “in-ground barrier” may include anyplacement of the sensor 602 within the ground. The term may include anycombination of natural and/or man-made materials. The term may includenatural earth materials, such as sand, dirt, rock, and the like, and/orany combination thereof. The term may also include any man-made materialused including concrete, asphalt, wood, and the like, and anycombination of these and/or other man-made materials.

Each sensor 602 may be coupled to a local control station 604 via one ormore communication links 614. The local control station 604 may belinked to a central command and monitoring station 606 via a centralcommunication link 608. The central link 608 may be wired and/orwireless, using an antenna 610 as shown, for example. A recording device(not shown) in the central command and monitoring station 606 may recordthe received data for archival and/or retrieval purposes.

In practice, all the sensors 602 may work together to monitor motionabove ground around the roadway 612 intersection. Direction, speed,relative size, and/or timing of vehicles entering the roadway 612intersection may be easily monitored and/or recorded at the centralcommand and monitoring station 606, for example. In the event of anaccident, details of vehicle characteristics (such as shown in FIG. 3A,for example) leading up to the accident may be useful in determining thecause of the accident, for example.

The general concept of a traffic embodiment, as shown thetraffic-monitoring system 600 in FIG. 6, for example, may be used inpedestrian traffic-monitoring (such as shown in FIG. 3B, for example).In one exemplary application, a motion-monitoring system 100, as shownin FIG. 1, for example, may be implemented in an office building. Such amotion-monitoring system 100 may help determine if personnel are stillin the building after an evacuation order, for example. Furthermore,such a motion-monitoring system 100, according to various illustrativeembodiments, and using a norm comparison 512 as in the method 500 asshown in FIG. 5, for example, may be used as an early warning system.For example, the detection of a crowd of people rushing from thebuilding as compared to normal walking traffic may be indicative of anemergency.

Although various illustrative embodiments as described above may utilizean impulse signal, those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefitof the present disclosure will appreciate that alternative signals maybe directly relevant. These alternative signals may include one or moreof wide-band, swept continuous wave (CW), stepped CW, and/or coded pulsetrains, and the like. Any radio-frequency (RF) sensor having one or moreantennas buried in a barrier and being capable of transmitting andreceiving signals through the barrier may suffice.

Referring to FIGS. 1-6, in operation various illustrative embodiments ofthe motion-monitoring apparatus 100, 200, system 100, 400, 600, and/ormethod 500 of the present invention may use the one or more implantedantennas to transmit one or more radio-frequency (RF) signals into theone or more volumes. The one or more radio-frequency (RF) signals may bereflected back to the one or more antennas and/or antenna pairs and/orantenna sets within the barrier. The one or more receiving antennas maytransmit the one or more echo signals to one or more sensing circuits,which may or may not be collocated with the one or more receivingantennas and/or antenna pairs and/or antenna sets. One or more wiredand/or wireless communication links may be used to transmit the one ormore received signals to the one or more sensing circuits. The one ormore sensing circuit may include one or more processors to performfiltering operations, but one or more simple sensing circuits may merelytransmit the one or more echo signals in digital form to a centralcommand and monitoring station for processing.

Data processing may be used to filter signals reflected from one or morestationary objects and/or pass signals returning from one or more movingobjects. The filtering operation may be a subtraction process whereinsuccessive signals are compared to previous signals returning from thesame object. If the object is not moving, then the successive signal maybe substantially equal to the previous signal, and subtracting theformer from the latter may remove the stationary object signal. When thesame comparison and subtraction process is performed on a moving target,then the result may be a signal having a distinguishable amplitude. Theresultant signal may be amplified and/or transmitted to the monitoringstation and/or monitor.

The signal may be further processed to estimate, distinguish, and/ordetermine other characteristics of the moving object. As shown in FIG.3A and FIG. 3B, for example, size, type (such as vehicle or human),direction of movement, location within the monitored volume, and/orspeed may be exemplary characteristics of objects determinable usingvarious illustrative embodiments. These characteristics may be used todetermine vehicle and/or pedestrian traffic patterns, for example, asshown in FIG. 6.

In accordance with the present disclosure, a device, a system, and amethod for using implantable sensors to detect moving objects in an areaare disclosed. In various aspects, a device in accordance with thepresent disclosure may comprise means for using implantable sensors todetect moving objects in an area and means for enabling the means forusing the implantable sensors to detect the moving objects in the area,both the means for using the implantable sensors to detect the movingobjects in the area and the means for enabling the means for using theimplantable sensors to detect the moving objects in the area coveringcorresponding structures and/or materials described herein andequivalents thereof.

In various other aspects, a system in accordance with the presentdisclosure may comprise means for using implantable sensors to detectmoving objects in an area, means for enabling the means for using theimplantable sensors to detect the moving objects in the area, and meansfor using the means for using the implantable sensors to detect themoving objects in the area, all of the means for using the implantablesensors to detect the moving objects in the area, the means for enablingthe means for using the implantable sensors to detect the moving objectsin the area, and the means for using the means for using the implantablesensors to detect the moving objects in the area covering correspondingstructures and/or materials described herein and equivalents thereof. Invarious aspects, a method in accordance with the present disclosure maycomprise steps for using implantable sensors to detect moving objects inan area and steps for enabling the steps for using the implantablesensors to detect the moving objects in the area, both the steps forusing the implantable sensors to detect the moving objects in the areaand the steps for enabling the steps for using the implantable sensorsto detect the moving objects in the area covering corresponding actsdescribed herein and equivalents thereof.

The particular embodiments disclosed above are illustrative only, as thepresent claimed subject matter may be modified and practiced indifferent but equivalent manners apparent to those skilled in the arthaving the benefit of the teachings herein. Furthermore, no limitationsare intended to the details of construction or design herein shown,other than as described in the claims below. It is therefore evidentthat the particular illustrative embodiments disclosed above may bealtered or modified and all such variations are considered within thescope and spirit of the present claimed subject matter. In particular,every range of values (of the form, “from about a to about b,” or,equivalently, “from approximately a to b,” or, equivalently, “fromapproximately a-b”) disclosed herein is to be understood as referring tothe power set (the set of all subsets) of the respective range ofvalues, in the sense of Georg Cantor. Accordingly, the protection soughtherein is as set forth in the claims below.

1. A motion-monitoring apparatus comprising: a transmitter circuitconfigured to transmit a radio-frequency signal through a barrier into avolume; a sensing circuit configured to receive signals reflected froman object in the volume; a processor configured to process outputsignals received from the sensing circuit to estimate at least onecharacteristic of the object, including a motion of the object; and amonitor device configured to monitor the at least one characteristic. 2.The motion-monitoring apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensing circuitincludes an ultra-wideband sensing circuit.
 3. The motion-monitoringapparatus of claim 2, wherein the sensing circuit is configured togenerate output signals using a sample-down process.
 4. Themotion-monitoring apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a singleantenna and a controllable switch configured to switch the singleantenna between the transmitter circuit and the sensing circuit.
 5. Themotion-monitoring apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a firstantenna operating in a transmitting mode and a second antenna operatingin a sensing mode.
 6. The motion-monitoring apparatus of claim 5,wherein the at least one sensing circuit is collocated with the secondantenna within the barrier.
 7. The motion-monitoring apparatus of claim1, wherein the barrier comprises at least one building member.
 8. Themotion-monitoring apparatus of claim 7, wherein the at least onebuilding member comprises at least one of a wall, a floor, and a roof.9. The motion-monitoring apparatus of claim 1, wherein the barriercomprises at least one in-ground barrier.
 10. The motion-monitoringapparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one in-ground barrierincludes at least one of a natural earth ground material, asphalt,concrete, wood, water, drywall, and brick.
 11. The motion-monitoringapparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one characteristic comprisesa plurality of characteristics, the plurality of characteristics furtherincluding at least one of a size of the object, a type of the object, aspeed of the object, a location of the object, and a direction ofmovement of the object.
 12. The motion-monitoring apparatus of claim 1,further comprising: a visual display device configured to provide atleast one visual output representative of the at least onecharacteristic.
 13. The motion-monitoring apparatus of claim 2, furthercomprising: a visual display device configured to provide at least onevisual output representative of the at least one characteristic.
 14. Themotion-monitoring apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at leastthree spaced-apart antenna sets, the transmitted radio-frequency signalcomprises a plurality of radio-frequency signals, and each of the atleast three antenna sets transmitting one of the plurality ofradio-frequency signals into the volume and receiving a respectivereflected radio-frequency signal to provide at least one triangulationfor estimating the at least one characteristic.
 15. A motion-monitoringsystem comprising: at least one sensor set including: an antennaconfigured to transmit a plurality of radio-frequency signals through abarrier into a volume and receive a plurality of signals reflected froman object in the volume, a sensing circuit configured to sense theplurality of reflected signals; a processor configured to receive outputsignals from the sensing circuit, compare a successive output signal toa previous output signal to at least one of: estimate at least onecharacteristic of the object, and distinguish at least onecharacteristic of the object, the at least one characteristic includinga motion of the object; a monitoring station configured to monitor theat least one characteristic; and a visual display device configured toprovide a visual output representative of the at least onecharacteristic.
 16. The motion-monitoring system of claim 15, whereinthe at least one sensor set comprises a plurality of sensor sets, the atleast one volume is a plurality of volumes separated from each other,each of the plurality of volumes including one of the plurality ofsensor sets, the motion-monitoring system further comprising: aplurality of communication links, each of the plurality of communicationlinks associated with a sensing circuit and configured to transmit theoutput signals; a hub configured to receive the output signals; and acentral communication link configured to transmit the output signalsfrom the hub to the monitoring station.
 17. The motion-monitoring systemof claim 15, wherein the barrier comprises at least one roadway, theobject comprises a plurality of objects, and the at least onecharacteristic comprises at least one traffic pattern.
 18. Themotion-monitoring system of claim 17, wherein the plurality of objectsincludes at least one of a plurality of vehicles and a plurality ofpedestrians.
 19. A method of monitoring motion, comprising: transmittingat least one radio-frequency signal through a barrier into a volume;receiving at least one radio-frequency signals resulting from areflection of the transmitted signal from an object in the volume;generating output signals related to the plurality of reflected signals;comparing a successive output signal to a previous output signal toestimate at least one characteristic of the object, the at least onecharacteristic including a motion of the object; and monitoring the atleast one characteristic.
 20. The method of monitoring motion of claim19, further comprising: transmitting the at least one radio-frequencysignal into the volume from at least three antenna sets; and receivingthe at least one reflected signals at the at least three antenna sets toprovide a triangulation for estimating the at least one characteristic.